How to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar

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Google Calendar is currently the most used calendar platform among individuals, professionals, and businesses due to the amazing work Google has done, making it easy to use and reliable.

Sometimes, people use Google Calendar as their work calendar and Apple Calendar for their day-to-day planning. In such cases, it is necessary to sync the Google Calendar with Apple Calendar and have all meetings in one app, avoiding back-and-forths between platforms.

If you’re in a similar position and want to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar, this article will help you understand the different methods of syncing Google Calendar with Apple Calendar, as well as the benefits and issues with each one.

How to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar through the Apple Calendar App

Unlike Google Calendar or Outlook, Apple Calendar does not allow for importing via iCal or any other formats. Due to this restriction, a 'real' sync between Google Calendar and Apple Calendar is not possible using the Apple Calendar.

A workaround is to use the Apple Calendar on macOS, which can natively import other calendars, such as Google Calendar or Outlook. By leveraging this feature, we can add Google Calendar to Apple Calendar, making it easy to view all Google Calendar events in Apple Calendar.

Note that this is not a 'real' sync. It’s just adding a Google Calendar into the Apple Calendar app, making it so you can view Google Calendars and Apple Calendars separately. This does not clone your Google Calendar events into Apple Calendars or defend your time.

Cloning events from one calendar to another can be achieved using a Calendar Sync Tool built to keep calendars in sync, automatically.

Following these steps, you can sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar using the macOS Calendar app:

  1. Open the Calendar App on your Mac: You can directly search the calendar by clicking Command + Space and typing Calendar.

    Apple Calendar App homepage on macOS

  2. Click ‘Calendar’ on the toolbar: After opening the Calendar app, you should be able to see the Calendar button on the toolbar.

    Click Calendar on the toolbar

  3. Click ‘Add Account’: Clicking ‘Add Account’ allows you to add different calendar providers, such as Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.

    Click Add Account

  4. Click ‘Google’: This option lets you connect your Google Calendar to your macOS Calendar app.

    Click Google Calendar

  5. Click Continue.

  6. Sign In with Google. The Sign-in pages use the Google OAuth flow and are secure. You should enter the email and password of the Google account you want to connect to the macOS Calendar.

    Google Auth Screen

  7. Select ‘Calendars’ as the app to connect. You can import Google Contacts, Mail, or Calendar, but we’ll choose Calendar for the purpose of this article, as we only need the Google Calendar.

    Select Calendars as app

  8. Your Google Calendar can now be accessed via your macOS Calendar app.

    Google Calendar on the macOS Calendar App

Downfalls of syncing Google Calendar with Apple Calendar through the macOS Calendar app

  • It does not block time in your Apple Calendar for Google Calendar events: Given that we’re just importing the Google Calendar into the macOS Calendar app, the Google Calendar is separate from the Apple Calendar. You have the ability to view all the events in one calendar, but Apple Calendar and Google Calendar are effectively not synced together.
  • It only works for the macOS device you add the Google Calendar to: If you open the calendar app on your iPhone (or any other platform), you won’t be able to see your Google Calendar, as the import is per device (thus, we called it ‘not a real sync’ above). The Google Calendar import does not affect the Apple Calendar.

To add your Google Calendar to your iPhone, please read our article on How To Share iPhone Calendar with Google Calendar.

How to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar using a Calendar Sync Tool

To have Google Calendar properly synced to your Apple Calendar, enabling you to have Google Calendar across all devices that you’ve connected your Apple Calendar, and actually defend your time, you’ll have to use a Calendar Sync tool, like OneCal.

The difference between a Calendar Sync Tool and importing a Google Calendar in the macOS Calendar app is that Calendar Sync Tools use official APIs from calendar providers (Google Calendar, Outlook, etc) to sync calendars in real-time. They clone events from one calendar to another, so you can consolidate all calendars.

Using a calendar app like the macOS Calendar allows you to just import a Google Calendar without affecting the Apple Calendar.

gcal-apple-sync-illustration.webp

OneCal only supports calendar syncing for Google Calendar and Outlook accounts.

We’ve evaluating the possibility to add support for Apple Calendar, but we need to better understand the customer needs. If you’d be interested in Apple Calendar support, please reach out at contact@onecal.io

Use OneCal to sync all your calendars in real-time

OneCal is the best calendar sync platform in the market, supporting Outlook and Google Calendar Sync, scheduling links, and the ability to view all calendars in one place.

Leverage the OneCal 2-week free trial to Sign Up for free (no credit card is needed) to try out a calendar platform that takes calendar juggling and scheduling conflicts away.